discovery

Thank you for expressing interest in our church, Fellowship Memphis. During Discovery, we will cover the story of our church, our values, our mission, and introduce several ministries of our church. We will also focus on our desire to be an equipping church. Discovery events are casual and there will be time for discussion and questions. Included in this packet, you will find several documents that will give you a better picture of who we are as a church. We are also giving you a membership form to complete if you are interested in pursuing membership with us. We look forward to getting to know you. The Fellowship Memphis Staff Phone: (901) 458-8899 E-mail: discovery@fellowshipmemphis.org

Who We Are
Our Story
Fellowship Memphis began as a dream in the summer of 2003. God drew together people from within Memphis and from around the country to pursue a new expression of a Biblical functioning community in the city of Memphis. The dream was a church where people from all walks of life and all seasons of life could grasp the gospel at a transformational level and could live out the gospel for the welfare of the city and Gods fame among the nations. That core group socio-economic, and generational diversity.

begged God to gather a group that looked like Memphis with her beautiful and powerful racial,

Our church launched on November 2, 2003. Countless lives have been transformed, equipped, and unleashed to live out the gospel. New chapters of our story are being written every day. Fellowship Memphis is a gospel-centered, multi-cultural, disciple-making church.

who we are
CORE VALUES
The Gospel Pursuing Christ Loving Others Aligning Biblically Making Disciples

Ministry philosophy
Team Leadership Life on Life Community An Equipping Church Our Corporate Gathering

Community Bridge Building

Church GovernanceElder Led

next steps Joining Fellowship Memphis

If you are interested in pursuing membership with us, here is the process: Attend Discovery to introduce you to our church. Read through this Discovery Packet that explains our membership expectations, describes our ministry philosophies, and answers doctrinal questions. Complete and return the Membership Form which includes telling us your story,and signing the Membership Covenant. We have included some information about writing out your testimony at the end of this Discovery Packet.You may submit your completed Membership Form online, return it to your Outpost Pastor on a Sunday, or mail to our church office. Your Outpost Pastor will follow up with you regarding membership. Colonial Outpost - Rob Brumsey Downtown Outpost - Ricky Jenkins East Outpost Resident Pastor - Derrick Puckett Be presented to the congregation at an upcoming Sunday Membership Ceremony. If you have any questions about our church or the membership process, please call our office at 901.458.8899 or e-mail discovery@fellowshipmemphis.org.

outposts
FEllowship Memphis is one
church in three locations or outposts.
Fellowship Offices 3340 Poplar Ave, Ste 230 Memphis, TN 38111

COlonial Our Colonial Outpost

meets at Colonial Middle School at 9am and 11am on Sunday mornings.
Map to Colonial Middle School 4778 Sea Isle Road Memphis, TN 38117

colonial middle school

north

Se
Quince Rd.
Mt. Moriah Rd. S. Perkins Rd. Colonial Rd. Ivy Rd.

le a Is

Rd

Willow Rd.

S.

hit

eS

tat

240

ion

outposts
East Our East Outpost meets at St.
Georges Independent Elementary School at 10am on Sunday mornings.
Map to St. Georges Elementary 8250 Poplar Avenue Germantown, TN 38138
n Rd .

north

Ct A ve.
Mad

N. 4 th
St.

ison

St.
Ave .
dow ele ntow n men tar y

Wolf R ive

r Blvd .

antow

Map to Downtown Elementary 10 N 4th St Memphis, TN 38103

W o lf R iver Blvd.

Poplar

Ave.

Germ

Ol dP op l

Germantown Rd.

Pi

ke

Po p

Saint Georges school

lar Av e.

Downtown Our Downtown Outpost

meets at Downtown Elementary at 11am on Sunday mornings.

o rr

i s Pkwy

Hacks Cross Rd.

Da nn yT h
Forrest Hill Irene Rd.

m as

n Av

e.

S. 4 th

Unio

Bl vd .

d. brough R Kim
ar

5 38

Bi

ll

Bryan Loritts lead pastor elder Dr. John W. Bryson teaching pastor elder Mike Cruser programming and worship pastor Mark Ottinger family ministry pastor Brian McCurry small group pastor Brian Crenshaw student ministry director Derrick Puckett east outpost resident pastor Damon Conley business administrator

pastoral staff and elders

Ricky Jenkins pastor, downtown outpost elder Hamp Holcomb elder chairman Randy Odom elder Soup Campbell elder Jay Harvill elder Hassan Saleem elder

Giving To Fellowship Memphis

Fellowship Memphis desires deeply to be an incredible steward of all the resources entrusted to us by God, through you. That includes all sorts of contributions, including finances. Our financial structure is relatively simple. There are three accounts: Operations, Engage, and a Residency Fund. Any money given on a Sunday in the offering or given throughout the week to Fellowship Memphis goes into Operations. It funds our annual budget. The Engage Memphis fund is primarily a season fund, gathered in the Spring, to fund among other items detailed each Spring, benevolence, city investments, resident education, etc. The Resident Fund is set aside to help assist our residents in the midst of crises or to help in seasons when there fundraising efforts hit some turbulence. You may give through the Sunday offering, mail gifts to the office, participate in automated withdraw from a designated account, or donate online through our website. We are also structured to receive stock gifts, land gifts, and other asset donations.

Fellowship Kids exists for supporting the family in reaching kids and helping them grow into devoted followers of Christ. We serve families of children from nursery through fifth grade. We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done. Psalm 78:4 At Fellowship Kids, we consider it a privilege to share The Big God Story with our children. God has woven His redemptive plan throughout time and God is not only writing that story, he is writing each childs story. We hope to communicate each Bible story within the context of Gods bigger story, so that the Bible doesnt become a collection of short stories and Jesus isnt just another character. We desire for children to understand that they not only play a part in this incredible story, but are also part of a much larger faith community of past, present, and future believers. At Fellowship Kids we believe God has given parents the incredible responsibility of impressing a love for God on the hearts of their children (Deuteronomy 6:57). Our hope is that what children experience on Sunday mornings supports what is being taught at home in order to create a holistic approach to spiritual formation. We believe our unique role, as the church, is to come along side parents and give them training, tools and resources to invest in their children. We consider it a joy to minister with you.

The Fellowship Kids Team

Mark Ottinger Family Pastor Kristin Thompson Elementary Coordinator Brooke Greene Pre-School Coordinator Paula Powell Nursery Coordinator Laura DePriest Downtown Coordinator Annette Wright East Coordinator

We are excited to share with you about our student ministry. Our goal is to foster an environment for growth and connection with the Father. Fellowship Student Ministries seeks to support and equip parents as they disciple their students to be replicating followers of Jesus Christ. FSM is not a separate part of the church, but are set up to be an integral part of the larger adult body. We seek to treat our students like adults and have adult expectations of them. We understand that they wrestle with different issues and have different needs than our larger adult body. However, our goal is to minister to those needs without extracting the student from the corporate congregation. Therefore, the values listed below are the some of the same values we hold to as entire church. Our guiding philosophies are strategies we use towards equipping parents and launching students to be salt and light for the Gospel.

core values A Passionate Commitment to Christ, The Mission of the Church (Evangelism
and Discipleship on a worldwide scale), Biblical Alignment, Diversity and Racial Reconciliation, Personal Holiness, Social Responsibility, Generous Living, The Priesthood of All Believers

Guiding Philosophies Parent Based, Volunteer Led, Equipping Model, Simplicity,

Intimacy, Contemplative,High Expectations

If you would like more info about our core values and guiding philosophies, you may contact justified type w/ tag Brian Crenshaw, Director of Student Ministries. His email address is bcrenshaw@fellowshipmemphis.org.

fsm programs
D-Groups (Discipleship Groups)
We believe in studying the Word as a group. This allows us to grow spiritually while simultaneously forming friendships in community with each other. We take a more expository approach to the scriptures than a topical one, yet we do intermix topics into our study as we feel appropriate. We have Bible Study twice a month on Sunday nights. Each student is in a group of approximately six students and two adult leaders. These leaders also pursue meeting with families and students throughout the week to further encourage and support them in their relationships with Christ.

Socials
We value getting together for socials once a month partly to create a venue for students to invite their friends. Some socials are totally fun driven like laser tag or bowling, while others are

programs
learning or community based - like going to the Civil Rights Museum or doing a service project justified type w/ tag together. These socials tend to be on Saturdays but can change month to month.

MPact
Once a month we have our corporate gathering called MPact. We desire to see our students learn leadership. This meeting is a place where the students can learn to lead and facilitate a worship service. It is also a place for them to flesh out their talents in an event designed to reach students around Memphis. The meeting usually includes worship, games and a speaker. These are held on Sunday nights from 4-6pm.

Residency Program
The Residency Program at Fellowship Memphis is a unique opportunity that we have embraced to invest in and train next generation leaders. Residencies are individualized on a 1-3 year basis and are often in partnership with post graduate education. Residents are an integral part of our team and with great joy we both invest in them and allow them to learn both formally and informally as a part of our church. Residents receive training and mentoring from our pastors while pursuing advanced degrees They get hands on experience serving in multiple areas. Residents experience growing levels of responsibility in leading areas and ministries of Fellowship during their time. We have former residents serving as pastors and ministry leaders throughout the US.

Life At Fellowship Memphis

Equipping: A Philosophy of a Care (Ephesians 4:7-13, Galatians 6:1)
In the New Testament, the word equip in the Greek has a dual meaning. On the one hand, it means to mend, set right or restore (Gal. 6:1). On the other, it is used in the context of preparing a ship for battle (Matt. 4:21). Both ideas are critical to Pauls use of the word here in Ephesians 4:12 and both have huge implications when shaping our view of how we as individual Christ followers and a collective church are intended to care for one another. Well dissect each and then show how the two come together to form a complete, Biblical view of care. Mending Whats Broken Galatians 6:1 tells us to restore or set right those caught in sin with a spirit of gentleness. Gently and lovingly, as a doctor sets a broken bone, we are called to help mend the wounds we see in the world around us. It is not enough for us to acknowledge the brokenness we see. What separates the Christ follower from the concerned citizen is ACTION. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5 that God has given us this ministry of reconciliation. We are ambassadors sent out on behalf of our King, agents of reconciliation across our world. We are called to lift up what has fallen and set right what has been fractured. We are called to mend this world.

life At Fellowship Memphis

God ordained it before the beginning of time (Ephesians 2:10). Yet, the language of reconciliation that Paul uses is often hard to grasp. It is difficult to see how small actions in our daily lives could have such cosmic effects. In those moments, we must think back on our own brokenness, fear, and loneliness and remember the joy that came in the smallest of reliefs: the hope others brought when they came to mend us. In the midst of our pain, that prayer, meal, note of encouragement, or hospital visit may have seemed small to the giver, but to us, it was an answered prayer, a reminder of the love and grace God lavishes upon all of us. In those moments, our thankfulness does not terminate on the person who came in our time of need but on the God who in His goodness stirred the heart of one of his precious ambassadors on our behalf. Ultimately, it creates worship in us as Jesus Christ, the Great Mender, is glorified through the actions of His Church. However, mending alone is insufficient. A broken bone may be set, but it needs much more time and attention for the pieces to fuse together again and the surrounding muscles to be worked back to their original strength. Mending is not the end goal. It is simply the first step. Preparing for Battle We see this same word, equip, in Matthew 4 as well. Jesus is calling his disciples, and he comes to fishermen James and John who were equipping or preparing their nets for a day at

life At Fellowship Memphis

sea. In this context, the word here seems to mean restoring for a purpose. The disciples were mending their nets with the intent of then using them to catch fish. Even though there is still this undercurrent of restoration, restoration isnt the end goal. With rough, calloused hands, the fishermen, sit down to patiently mend their nets. They take great care to sew broken strands together again, carefully examining every inch of their nets to make sure it could withstand the strains of a day of fishing. It could not catch fish properly if it was riddled with holes and weak spots. It was prepared for a purpose. This is the second component of care. We, as Christians, are called to care for one another in a way that not only heals but also prepares. We want to be a launchpad for those around us. We want to care in a way that motivates others to action. Im reminded of many of the people that Jesus healed during his ministry. What is the common response of almost all those whom Jesus heals throughout the four Gospels? They go away and tell EVERYONE. They cannot contain themselves. Sometimes, Jesus even tells them not to tell anyone, but they are so full of joy, so full of worship, that they cannot help but tell others what He had done.

life At Fellowship Memphis

Its in this that the two hands of care come together. We are equipped in such a way that the restoration that takes place occurs to prepare us to bring glory to God. Whether we are the one being prepared or the one helping do the preparing, ultimately, we are part of Gods mission to bring His kingdom to Earth each and every day. We care so that others are motivated to join in the fight. We care so that God gets the glory as this world is reconciled back to Him bit by bit. Just as our own two physical hands work together in harmony, the two hands of care give us a complete view of the work God intended for his ambassadors. But, how does this play itself out on a daily basis? We have all been gifted differently, and some situations require specific education and training. Tangibly, what does our responsibility look like? For the sake of simplicity, we have broken our philosophy down into five different layers/circles of care with each layer becoming a smaller, more specialized group.

life At Fellowship Memphis

Layers of Care 1. Jesus Christ - Above all, care starts from within as Jesus, the Good Shepherd, cares for you far better than anyone else. Before we approach anyone else, we must approach the throne of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4 tells us that it is there that we will receive the mercy and grace we need in times of struggle. The first question that must be answered in any tough situation is always, Have you prayed about it? 2. The Body - There are 38 one-another verses in the Bible that call the Christian to, among other things, encourage, bear with, exhort, forgive, and love others, and often, the reality is that we will get the amount of care we are willing to give to others. If you are unwilling to be there for your fellow brothers and sisters, you cannot expect them to meet you in your time of need. Care is not a one-way street. 3. Leaders - Titus 2 and 1 Timothy 2 give us explicit instructions for older men and women to teach, train, and care for younger believers. Within the Body, God has raised up mature believers to lead and teach others. This could be community group leaders, part-time staff, volunteers or just wise, experienced men and women of God. These leaders should have a

life At Fellowship Memphis

huge role in shaping the lives of the believers around them. However, there is a key to this. Younger believers must take initiative and ask for their care. Dont expect anyone to be able to read your mind. Be open and honest in your time of need. 4. Pastors - This is the ONLY layer or care that is actually in vocational ministry. Every other layer of care is simply believers being faithful to who God has called them to be in the world. Pastors are there to care for their flock in the more trying of situations. Sometimes, it requires a trained, Biblical perspective to navigate lifes roughest seas. 5. Elders - This is the final level of care within the church. The Bible calls local elders to be a final level of care and oversee such things as praying for the sick and church discipline (James 5). Elders wear every hat, fitting into every circle of Biblical care. Limitations and Misconceptions In the end, there is still a tension that must be managed. Our expectations of care from the Church and its staff must be reasonable as the gap between expectations and reality is full of disappointment. 1. If we see the job of the church and church leadership as ONLY care, you will be disappointed. Care is a part of what we do, but not all we do. We provide care, but we are also on mission.

life At Fellowship Memphis

2. If we see the job of care as ONLY the job of the pastors and hired church leadership, we will be disappointed. We believe in the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5), meaning each and every Christ follower is entrusted with the gift and responsibility of caring for those around them. 3. If we expect a specific, hand-picked elder, pastor, teacher, or staff member to respond to our issue or situation, we will be disappointed. We see our elders, staff, and church body as a team designed to work together. It is so demoralizing to caring friends and so contrary to the idea of the priesthood of all believers when we feel like the Christians responding to us are simply the junior varsity before the varsity team of pastors arrives. 4. If you do not join our church but expect us to respond to you as a family member, you will be disappointed. Membership defines our flock and overall scope of care. If you are unwilling to join our church or go through the membership process, you are telling us many things, and among them is the idea that you are not a part of our flock and do not truly want our care. 5. Finally, with all our layers and different people in place, even on our best day, we are all human. We are flawed, and we will, at some point, let one another down. No one person and no one church ever responds perfectly. We are fallen people in a fallen world, but we have a perfect Savior: Jesus.

life At Fellowship Memphis

Equipping: A Philosophy of Ministry (Ephesians 4:14-16)
Consumption, comfort, and culture have come to define the Church in the South. Somewhere along the line, the idea of being on mission was skewed, and attendance and tithing became the standards by which many of us measure our faithfulness to the Creator of the universe. We sit in the pews each week unaffected by the true Gospel message. The wonder of the notion that a good, loving, and just Creator God would step out of a perfect heaven, live as a human being, die a humiliating death, and rise again to defeat sin, Satan, and death, ransoming the world back to Himself once and for all - is all but lost beneath the droning, repetitive themes of behavior modification and morality (Heb. 10). Its no wonder that the Church in America is in decline and even some Christians are becoming disillusioned with the culture we have created. Too often it seems like the Church today is moving further and further away from Jesus Christ. Our idea of why we are on this Earth is often vastly different than why God says He put us here. As ambassadors, we have misrepresented the King. Equipping for Ministry Jesus came to reconcile the world back to God, and we were meant to be part of the plan (2 Cor. 5). By Gods grace, through the work and ministry of the Christ follower, we have the hope that the world is becoming more and more as God intended for it to be. It is the actions of a grace-filled heart overflowing into a community that brings Gods kingdom to Earth here and now.

life At Fellowship Memphis

Ephesians 4 takes this idea further, exhorting Christians to also use those gifts to strengthen and build up the Body so that we all may be unified in the struggle of life together. When each part is working properly, [it] makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Eph. 4:16b). The idea is that as Christians come together, work together and do life together, the Body is unified, lives are changed, and God is glorified. However, many of us have substituted Gods idea of ministry for own. To us, the idea of building up the Body of Christ should be left to the more qualified. It should be the pastors and church staff, those with a seminary degree, and those who are in full-time ministry. We have begun to think, They are the ones who are supposed to train their congregation, serve in the church, and fight for the poor, and we - as the laymen - well, we are supposed to show up, pray for them, and give to the worthy causes, right? They are, after all, the full-time ministers. In essence, we have become spectators, just watching the action from the sidelines, as a few do the work of many. We show up to all the games; we will cheer on the players wholeheartedly. All in all, we are very supportive, but we have yet to realize that there is a jersey with our name on it. We have yet to realize that we were meant to play, too.

life At Fellowship Memphis

R. Paul Stevens would say it this way in his book, The Other Six Days: When you enter the church today there are two peoples, laity who receive ministry and clergy who give it. But when we enter the New Testament, we find only one people, the true laos of God, with leaders among the people. The word clergy comes from the Greek word kleros, which means the appointed ones. It is used in Scripture not for the leaders of the people, but for the whole people. Once, we were not a people at all, but now in Christ, we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God (1 Peter 2:9). Throughout almost all of church history, going into the Lords work meant becoming a pastor or missionary, not being co-workers with God in is creating, sustaining, redeeming, and consummating work in both the church and the world. Everyone A Minister In essence, we have created a distinction that was never meant to exist, a distinction the Bible never makes. God intended for each member of the body to serve as he or she is gifted so that the Body as a whole would move and work as one, unified in service to their Creator. We are all a microcosm of Him. By Gods grace, the collective work of the Body - as a creator, sustainer, reconciler, and redeemer in its individual communities and this world as a whole - is a small picture of the work God is doing as He brings the universe back to himself. Its a small picture of Christs cosmic act of redemption on the cross.

life At Fellowship Memphis

Meanwhile, as we remain idle so do our gifts. As we look to those in full-time ministry to do the work, not only do the Body and the Kingdom suffer, but so do we. We become bored and selfobsessed, critiquing, commenting, and correcting our way to an incomplete and empty life. We begin to take shots at those in the trenches of battle from the comfort of the couch. What would it be like to pick up your sword and fight? What would happen if Christ followers everywhere truly lived in light of the message of Ephesians 4? Can you imagine what would happen if Christ followers quit minimizing their lives and roles and saw themselves as Jesus does as a minister of the gospel, a representative of Christ and an ambassador of the King here to do business on His behalf until he returns (Luke 19)? The gospel would infiltrate all levels of society, communities would be transformed, and people would come to know Jesus. By Gods grace, bit by bit, heaven would come to Earth... The message is not, Find your gift, so you can help us do church. Sadly, in too many churches, this is the message of service and ministry. Their expectations say, Sorry cities and neighbors, we are just doing church. You should come. Amidst a multitude of ministries, programs, and events, theres just no time or apparent need to transform a community. Thats not us. Rather, as a church, we are saying, We want to help you find your gift so you and I together as the Body

life At Fellowship Memphis

can not only live out the gospel in our city but align our lives in such a way that we spread Gods fame among the nations. Its not for us to do church better. Its for this world to be transformed. In the over-churched South, deconstructing unbiblical cultural norms is often as important (or even more so) than what ideas, by Gods grace, we are able construct. The Church has some enormous sacred cows that have tragically hindered it for too long. So, as simply as we can put it, the purpose of the Church and its leadership and those gifted by God to lead from within is not to do the ministry for the laymen. The laymen do not just show up to receive all the ministry and support from their hired guns. Its so much more. The purpose of the Church and its leadership is to equip the saints (all of us) to do the work of the ministry (together) to the build up of the Body of Christ (all of us). Home Depot probably said it best, You can do it. We can help.

life At Fellowship Memphis

Servanthood: The Posture of a People (Acts 6:1-7 & John 13)
To Be A Servant During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simons son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him...When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one anothers feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13: 2-5, 12-17 ESV On the eve of his death, only hours before he would change the course of history forever, Jesus sits down to a meal with his friends. They had laughed together, wept for one another, served alongside each other, and shared life in a way that many of us could never even imagine. How would Jesus use his last moments with his cherished band of misfit disciples? What bits

life At Fellowship Memphis

of wisdom, encouragement, and love would he impart to these 12 men with whom he had experienced so much? Jesus had much to teach his followers that evening (the majority of the next four chapters are simply his words to them). Yet, our Savior begins it all with an act of absolute service and submission. Humbling himself to the office of a slave, he stoops to wash the dirt and grime off of feet that most of us would not even dare to touch, including those of Judas Iscariot, the one who would soon betray him. The scene is a beautiful picture of how the Christ follower is to serve those around him, showing us that servanthood, above all, is rooted in an identity in Christ and fueled by a passionate love for others, two truths that are critical to Christ-like service. Who and Whose We Are First, true servanthood must be rooted in identity. The Scripture says, During supper, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God... This verse screams of identity, Jesus unwavering identity in the Father.He was fully aware of WHO he was and WHOSE He was.He was able to do for his disciples horizontally, because his vertical relationship - his authority, origin, destiny, and Father - was unquestionable. Because we are perfectly valued, accepted, and loved by God, we are therefore free to love and serve unconditionally. True, Christ-like service does not ask for

life At Fellowship Memphis

reciprocation. It is not transactional like the world in which we live. It is not conditional or fair but stems out of a heart that knows it is free to scandalously serve others because, in spite of itself, it has been scandalously served by God. Full to the Brim Second, true servanthood comes from a heart that has been overwhelmed by Gods love to the point that it overflows onto others. A revolutionary transformation has taken place within those are in Christ. We have been bought with a price, and our lives are no longer our own (1 Cor. 6). We are no longer stuck in ugly, repelling self indulgence, nor do we simply serve out of raw duty, satisfying our own guilt and need for attention. Gods love has covered us, He will not let us go... and this makes all the difference. We are His, and we are full to the brim. Therefore, as we go about life, colliding head-on with the world around us, we can do nothing but spill His sweet nectar onto a world so desperately in need of a drink. A Different World In Christ, we are called servants, and we are called to serve. Its an identity and a behavior, and it ought to be a growing habit and full-blown reputation for all of us in the church. However, too often, we forget both who we are and whose we are. Some of us err on the side of pure selfishness, looking out only for our own needs, while still more of us, especially those in the

life At Fellowship Memphis

church, err to the other, the side of pure religion, serving and doing out of selfish motives, inherently hoping to earn peoples praise and Gods approval. Regardless, at the end of the day, neither find joy, rest, or satisfaction because neither approach is rooted in the Gospel. We must learn from Jesus and understand both that we are firmly rooted in the Father through the death of the Son and that we must take the initiative to find opportunities to love others, regardless of their response. This whole idea stands in stark contrast to anything we see in the world around us. We live in a world that cries out for validation, a world that lives by the quid pro quo mentality. Relationships, conversations, and even gifts come with the expectation of reciprocation. For many, Gods grace even becomes too good to be true. Yet, the Christian knows that they can serve without ever hearing a thank you or being served in return because their service magnifies their King. Once we understand the value and love we have in Christ, we can rest in the fact that no matter what we do we can never earn Gods approval because the Gospel says we already have it. The race has already been run, and our Savior has come out victorious. You Will Be Blessed In verse 17, Jesus says if we serve as he has served, then we will be blessed. The word, in the Greek, is makarios, meaning to be happy or fulfilled. When God tells us to serve, Hes out

life At Fellowship Memphis

for our joy. He wants an army of servants who know nothing but giving and serving with reckless abandon because that is where we will find our greatest joy. If you and I will take this posture and put the needs of others above our own, we will become true servants, blessed, joyful, and fulfilled in Christ alone. God has wired us all this way. Selflessness and service are the keys to the deep fulfillment found in Christ. Jesus is telling us that we will only be happy when we learn to love and serve others unconditionally, the way he loves and serves us. Only then are we truly free, free to serve regardless of how people respond or if others reciprocate and free to love deeply and vulnerably without fear of hurt, because we know that we belong to him. The beauty is in the FREEDOM. Saved to Serve This was the scene in Acts 6. Since the day of Pentecost, the early church has exploded from 3,000 people to around 50,000. The church has grown far too big for the apostles to handle all of the issues that arise, and now, the Hellenistic Jewish widows (Jews that were not born in Jerusalem but migrated there later in life and were for all intensive purposes Greek) were being neglected in the daily distribution of aid. Each day, the apostles would go out and give to the widows of Jerusalem as the Bible had commanded them, except now these Hellenistic widows were not being fed. Therefore, church leadership acts. They move in to solve this problem, and we can learn much about servanthood from their solution.

life At Fellowship Memphis

Look at what pastor Ajith Fernando has to say: The apostles did not focus attention on the complaining attitude toward the leadership. Nor did they talk about the priority of the spiritual and the relative unimportance of earthy food, as some may have done. There was a genuine problem, and the best way to quell doubts about prejudice was to solve the problem first. The apostles made an administrative decision. Thereby they not only averted a serious crisis of disunity, but also led the church to take a significant leap forward in terms of organizational structure. The solution involved the empowerment of other leaders to serve the body and the decentralization of ministry. They expanded their response team by asking leaders in the body to step up, serve, and fix the issue. This is significant because its a New Covenant idea. Before now, in the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant, this did not happen. It was the job of the priests, rabbis, and other religious leaders. However, just a few chapters into the Christian church, we already see a tangible example of the priesthood of all believers, the servanthood Jesus calls us into. Wise, reputable, Godly individuals were entrusted with leadership and asked to solve problems, meet needs, and seize opportunities, not in lesser roles but in complementary roles (v. 3). All serving is equally spiritual. The same word that is used for the ministry of the Word is the same word used for serving / waiting tables. Therefore, preaching the word is serving, just like

life At Fellowship Memphis

praying is serving, just like waiting tables and taking care of widows is serving. Add to that the fact that those selected had to be wise, of good reputation, and full of the Holy Spirit, and we see the life God is calling us into as a servant. Its not merely a life of actions. Its a life of actions flowing out of a transformed, full heart. Are You A Servant? These passages have huge implications on our lives. They can give us great hope for the future and make us feel hugely inadequate all at the same time. We have to ask ourselves some questions. But, these are not questions that gauge our performance. Instead, they are questions that gauge our heart, for as Jesus shows us, actions always follow the heart. Are you convinced of your identity in Christ? Do you understand to any degree of fullness what it means to be in Christ and to operate out of that identity? Are you regularly learning about, dwelling on, reminding yourself, and becoming convinced of Gods incredible love for you? Have you allowed those incredible truths of being both in Christ and incredibly loved to revolutionize your life into a life service for the benefit of others?

life At Fellowship Memphis

Each of these questions must be answered daily in the life of the Christian. It is our barometer for measuring our understanding of the Gospel. Where we are sure, we have only God to thank, and where we waver, we must ask God to give us greater understanding. The Christian life is one of radical devotion to service and change. It is one of struggle and discomfort. It is one that constantly seeks out opportunities to pick up a towel and a basin and wash the feet of our broken, dying world.

God

what we believe

We believe that there is only one living and true God, who exists in three distinct persons God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three, the Trinity, are equal in essence and distinct in function (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19).

the father
The first person of the Trinity orders and directs all things according to his purpose and pleasure. He has created humanity to bring him glory and honor, through his grace. While he is transcendent, he is also actively involved in his creation offering an eternal relationship with us through his Son Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:9; John 5:19-24; Ephesians 1:3-6; 2:1-10).

the son
Jesus Christ is both the eternal Son of God and virgin-born Son of man. Fully God, fully man, he surrendered nothing of his deity during his earthly life. His sinless, sacrificial offering on the cross satisfied the Fathers justice, offering atonement for all of humanitys sins, for all time. We believe in his bodily resurrection, his physical ascension, and his visible return back to earth to establish his earthly kingdom (John 1:14-18; I Corinthians 15; Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 2:9; Revelation 20:11-15).

what we believe
the holy spirit
The third person of the Trinity executes the will of God in this world through humanity by leading, guiding, filling, teaching, and convicting. The Holy Spirit is not merely an impersonal force, but is a person,

humanity
We were created in the image of God, destined to enjoy an intimate relationship with God, fulfilling his will here on earth. But because of Adam and Eves willful sin in the garden, sin entered into the world and has infected all of humanity. Therefore, because of our inherent sinful nature received from our father Adam, we are all separated from God, spiritually dead, and destined for physical death and an eternity removed from God (Genesis 1-3; Romans 1:18-32; Rom 3; Rom 5; Ephesians 2:1-3).

salvation
We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins as the only sufficient sacrifice, offering the atonement of sins for all mankind through his death, burial, and resurrection. While salvation is available to all, it is only experienced by those who respond to his gracious gift by faith apart from works. For those who do respond we are regenerated and baptized by the Holy Spirit, becoming children of God, given a new nature, and placed into the universal body of Christ,

what we believe
making us eternally secure in him. As a result of our new relationship with God through his Son Jesus, we are now called to a life of submission to the Holy Spirit, manifesting spiritual fruit, and walking in good works that God has prepared beforehand for us to do (John 14:6; Titus 3:4-7; Acts 4:12; John 1:12; Romans 3:21-26; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9; Hebrews 10:10-12; I John 5:1113; Galatians 3:26; John 3:16).

the Scriptures
We believe that every word in the original writings is inspired by God and is without error. The Word of God reveals Gods nature and will for all of humanity, and because of this it is to be the foundation of faith and practice. We affirm that while the Scriptures are accurate in all matters it was never given to be an end in and of itself, but rather a means to a relationship with God. Because of this the authority and teaching of Scriptures will have a preeminent place in our church (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12; John 17:17).

the church
For all who have placed their faith in God through his Son Jesus Christ, they are a part of the universal body of believers known as the church. This placement of the believer into the universal church requires an association of the believer with other followers of Christ in a local assembly. The purpose of the local church is to lead people to Christ and to bring them to maturity in Christ.

what we believe
The members of the local church are to live their lives in humble submission to other Spirit led believers, and to the God-appointed leaders of the church. Fellowship Bible Church Memphis is an autonomous local assembly that is led by Jesus Christ, who gives direction as the head of this body through a body of appointed elders (Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 2:41-47; I Cor 12-14; Matthew 28-18-20; Ephesians 2:19-22; I Thessalonians 4:15-17).

the future
We believe that the next great event in human history will be the return of Jesus Christ for his children. This is the blessed hope for all followers of Jesus Christ. While this event is a prophetic truth of Scripture, we acknowledge that the point of Christs return is not for the believer to passively await this event, but to labor with all of our might in the power of the Spirit to fulfill his will in our lives through righteous living, evangelism, and discipleship. After the return of Christ those who accepted Gods gracious gift of salvation will worship God forever in heaven. Those who did not will spend an eternity separated from Him in hell. (Matthew 24:36; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; John 14:1-3; Matthew 24-25).

non-essentials
We affirm that the doctrines of the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the bodily resurrection, the atoning work of Christ on the cross, and salvation by grace through faith make up the essential, distinctive

what we believe
nature of Christianity. In regards to these essential doctrines there can be no conflicting opinions of those who call themselves true followers of Christ. However, we do acknowledge that there are peripheral or non-essential doctrines that are important, but not critical to the follower of Christ as it relates to our salvation. Some of these doctrines include the specific functions of women in ministry, the exact timing and nature of the rapture, extent and use of certain spiritual gifts, the relationship between election and free-will in salvation, etc. While our church will be diligent to establish positions as it relates to these non-essentials we will not allow these peripheral doctrines to cause division within the church. We will accept into our body those who have differing views on the non-essential doctrines, but will not allow those of a different opinion to fracture the church. While we celebrate diversity along all lines (racial and theological), we will ultimately pursue the unity of the church.

battleship
What we are attempting to build:
The Church is many things. It is a family. It is a bride. But it is also an army. It is a battleship. And battleships operate much differently than say a Cruise ship. We will expound on family, bride, and other analogies that scripture uses at a future time, but here we want to focus on the missional / army analogy of the church. The difference in a Cruise Ship and a Battle Ship mentality (a great illustration from Watermark Community Church), staying on mission If we were attempting to lead a Cruise Ship: We would navigate toward safe, wave-free waters. We would worry about keeping people busy and entertained, but not productive. We would put all of our efforts into making sure those on the ship were comfortable and that all our preferences were considered and all our internal needs met. If you were choosing a Cruise ship: You would choose it based on the ports it was visiting, the quality of your room, and the activities that were offered after dinner. You would choose it based on dinner and show quality. You would choose it based on whether or not you like the captains and their staff. You would continually ask, Am I enjoying this experience enough to sail again with this ship?

battleship
We are attempting to build and lead a Battleship: Our ship has purpose, meaning, and a mission. We may rarely have fun, or we may have a lot of fun along the way. But fun is not our mission. Everybody has a job and regardless of how seemingly meaningless it may be (swabbing the deck or serving in the mess hall), it has ultimate amazing value because it serves the other soldiers and makes the larger mission possible. Every job is tied to the greater purpose. The leaders of a battleship should be far more concerned with the accomplishment of the mission, regardless of the dangers and hard calls that must be made, than the comfort or the experience or the convenience of the soldiers. The leaders of a battleship realize that they, too, are under authority and gladly submit to that higher authority. The captains of the ship prepare the shipmates to succeed on their tour of duty. If you were choosing a Battleship: You need to choose it based on the flag that flies above the ship and ask if it is worthy of your life. You need to choose it based on the mission of the ship, is it noble, and is it right.

Our Dream
We dream of being:
A church that is about a relationship, not religion A culturally diverse church that looks like Memphis A church that measures success through transformation and influence, not attendance or square feet A church that is saturated by Grace and known by Love A church that equips its members to be ministers of the Gospel in their sphere of influence A church where radical acts of generosity are the norm, not the exception A church where the Bible is taught clearly, wholly, regularly, compellingly and applied to life A church where the members exist in deep and rich community and own their responsibilities to one another A church that cares for its city and longs to see it transformed A church that regularly engages in diverse worship experiences and appreciates a wide range of the arts A church that cares for what God is doing around the world and invests our time, talents, and resources in effective leaders, churches, and movements around the world A church committed to equipping and unleashing

Our Dream
A church that attracts, equips and unleashes next generation leaders to make a difference for Christ in churches, businesses, schools, hospitals, court rooms, the arts community, etc. A church that helps builds strong marriages and strong families A church that connects deeply with collegians and helps shape their worldview A church that connects deeply with the young adults and young professionals in our city A church that cares for the under-resourced, oppressed and disenfranchised in our city A church that sees itself as part of the larger Body of Christ in Memphis and supports and partners with other new and existing churches and ministries in the area A church full of mature believers committed to discipleship and the passing down of life lessons, truth, wisdom, and experience to younger Christ followers A church that strives to Be the Church not just Do Church A church that leads people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and equips them to give their lives away for the cause of Christ and the glory of God

One Another Verses

love one another John 13:35 and 16 other times be devoted to one another Romans 12:10 live in harmony with one another Romans 12:16 build up one another Rom 14:19; 1 Thess 5:11 be likeminded towards one another Rom 15:5 accept one another Romans 15:7 admonish one another Rom 15:14; Col 3:16 care for one another 1 Corinthians 12:25 serve one another Galatians 5:13 bear one anothers burdens Galatians 6:2 forgive one another Eph 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13 be patient with one another Eph 4:2; Col 3:13 be kind and compassionate to one another
Ephesians 4:32

one another
consider others better than yourselves Phil 2:3 look to the interests of one another Phil 2:4 teach one another Colossians 3:16 comfort one another 1 Thessalonians 4:18 encourage one another Hebrews 3:13 stir up one another to love and good works
Hebrews 10:24

honour one another above yourselves Rom 12:10 bear with one another Colossians 3:13

show hospitality to one another 1 Peter 4:9 employ the gifts that God has given us for the benefit of one another 1 Peter 4:10 clothe yourselves with humility towards one another 1 Peter 5:5 pray for one another James 5:16 confess our faults to one another James 5:16 do these things because we belong to one another Rom 12:5; Eph 4:25

speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs Ephesians 5:19 submit to one another Eph 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5

testimony Writing Your Story

Because each Christians ability to communicate how they entered into a relationship with Christ is vitally important, we require everyone who wishes to purse membership at Fellowship Bible Church to write out their personal testimony and submit it with their membership form. Your testimony is the story of how you came into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Each persons story is special and, like a snowflake, no two are the exact same. While you have the freedom to write your testimony in any form that you deem appropriate, many have found it easier to write their story of grace by breaking down their testimony into the following three stages:

1. Before you accepted Christ: Describe your value system, motivations and life-style prior to
your conversion. Identify the events and the circumstances that caused you to consider Jesus Christ as the solution to your spiritual need and ultimately led to your decision to accept Him as Savior. In some cases this process may have taken place over a long period of time.

2. Circumstances surrounding your inviting Christ into your life: Please include the specific
steps that you took to become a Christian and why you believe that you have eternal life. As

testimony Writing Your Story

much as possible, try to avoid religious terminology or church clichs (born again, asked Jesus into my heart, washed in the blood, etc.), as this will prepare you to communicated your story more clearly and authentically to your friends. 3. How you life has changed as a result of being a new creature in Christ: Describe the difference that Christ has made in our thinking, motivation, values, and actions. For some this may be a dramatic change from the before description. For others who accepted Christ at an early age, this step will allow you to think through and describe how your life is different than what it could have been and to describe the transformation that is continuing to take place in your life. In either case, please state what assurances that you have of forgiveness and eternal life. We understand that this may be the first time you have ever written out your testimony before. It can be a challenging task. If you need help, please feel free to contact us. Phone: (901) 458-8899 or E-mail: discovery@fellowshipmemphis.org We look forward to reading your story and also hope that you will take the time to share it with someone else who may not know the truth of the Gospel.

Membership
Membership matters. Our members partner with each other in a mutually submissive and mutually beneficial covenant relationship. We believe it helps us fight against a consumeristic mentality and conform to the example of committed community outlined in Scripture. Our members agree to the following membership covenant.

Membership Covenant
Having trusted in Christ alone as my Lord and Savior, and being in agreement with the doctrine, purposes, distinctives, and essentials, I am now called to unite with the Fellowship Memphis church family. I will seek to be conformed to the image of Christ and to the ministry of my church family by: attending weekly worship faithfully (Hebrews 10:23-25). committing to grow in a lifestyle that manifests itself in a passionate commitment to Christ, biblical alignment, personal holiness, generous living, racial reconciliation, and social responsibility (II Peter 3:17-18; Ephesians 4:14-16). engaging in spiritual relationships that bring mutual support and accountability to my life (Romans 14:19; Ephesians 5:21). taking the time to serve others with my spiritual gifts (Romans 12:4-21; Galatians 5:13-14). participating cheerfully and regularly in the financial support of the ministry and the obligations of the church (II Corinthians 9:6-7).

Membership Covenant
I will support the ministry of this local body to the community and the world by: supporting others fervently in Christian love (I Peter 4:8). upholding others in prayer and bearing one anothers burdens (Galatians 6:2). developing relationships with and inviting the unchurched to attend (Col 4:5-6). I will seek to maintain the unity of the church body by: acting in love toward other members (I Peter 1:22). seeking open and honest communication when I have concerns (Ephesians 4:15). dealing biblically with conflict and refusing to gossip (Matthew 18:15-20). following the leadership of the church (Hebrews 13:17) and submitting to the principles of church restoration (Matthew 18:15-20).